Recall expert watching Mich. in 2013

Michigan could be “ground zero for a recall vote” in 2013, targeting Republican Gov. Rick Snyder and unleashing a massive effort that is likely to mirror at least 15 other, smaller recall contests already lined up in other states next year.

According to one estimate, 2012 saw at least 168 recalls — up from 151 in 2011 and a record high, according to data compiled by Joshua Spivak, a senior fellow at Wagner College’s Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform.

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The battle to oust Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, which also included his lieutenant governor and four state senators, was the only one in 2012 that targeted statewide officials, with the rest involving city and county politicians and issues.

“There doesn’t seem to be a specific goal of going after state legislatures or state governors in any significant way, though that might change in Michigan because of right-to-work (legislation),” he said. “That’s a pretty decent start to the year.”

But opponents of Snyder, a Republican who approved right-to-work legislation this year, have a higher threshold than Walker’s detractors had. To launch a recall, Michigan law allows signatures only from registered voters, which is the national norm, while Wisconsin law accepts signatures from any eligible voter, Spivak said.

Readers' Comments (2)

The summary under the article title on the home page says Rick Scott who is the Republican governor of Florida instead of Rick Snyder of Michigan. Freudian slip possibly? The Florida governor possibly has the lowest approval ratings in the country even with Governors Snyder, Walker, Kasich, and Corbett right on his heels.

Snyder won't run for re-election. He has been bought and paid for by the Koch brothers. He did their bidding by passing anti-worker legislation. Snyder will be rewarded by a big fat lobbying job that he earned by lying and turning his back on workers who make a livable wage because of unions.